Maybe, Probably
by StellaRose94
Summary: "Um Katara," Katara looked up to see the CFO looking boyish with his hands in his pocket looking sheepish. Katara is a girl that strives for a good life, but with office politics, romance, and life back home in the Southern Water Tribe, it is a lot to balance. In Republic City and on her own, cane she have the full life that she dreams about.


**Chapter 1: Life is an Obligation**

Katara lived a life out of obligation. It was obligations to others, which for her centered around home, family, and heritage. Her feelings of responsibility started at the age of twelve after her mother died. She, instead of grieving with her father and brother, choose to clean the kitchen with her grandmother. Eventually, when her gran gran passed at 18 years old, she did the same thing but instead cleaned up her grandmother's closet. It came as a surprise to everyone in the village that at 25 she moved to Republic City. The surprise wavered when the town learned that she worked for a company as a secretary (or administrative assistant and office coordinator, her preference), but mildly increased when they learned she works for the Fire Raptors Company. They expected her back in three years—only one in half passed.

* * *

Katara went into the conference room to prepare the coffee and set up the place for the final-quarter budget meeting. The CEO, CFO, stockholders, and members of the offices were attending. This meeting was usually used to determine where excess revenue would be allocated. She had never sat through this business ordeal. Coco mentioned earlier that it runs pretty quick: a third of profits went to technology, a quarter went into marketing, re-branding, and increased media presence, another quarter went into factory upkeep or expansion, and a small sliver went into rising wages, stocks, and bonds of employees; however, Coco warned that the one percent left was when fighting happened. Typically, between their respective bosses, but she also mentioned it would not take long.

Katara understood that her purpose was to stay on the sideline, type out the details, then send it out to the secretaries and office members. Currently, Katara was arranging the seats to Zuko's preferences. The water boiled hot as he liked; the blinds were open to the level he wished, and the refreshments were arranged in the matter he preferred-the office members on the right and stockholders on the left. Zuko at the head facing the presentation screen, Iroh, his head project manager and adviser on his right, and Aang, his CFO on the left. She was always fast and made sure to keep the teas on the right, which was poured by Iroh as a show of good fate. The tiny plates with an array of treats that only Aang would eat. He did not care about the unspoken business rule not to eat them.

She lingered at Aang's spot. It was a spot that she took extra care to arrange. The man was left-handed. She set his tea on the left and plate on the right with a fruit tart that was similar to the ones he had at his grandfather's estate. She remembered that detail when he announced at a meeting about indulging in the sinful pie. After that announcement, she made sure to give a different flavor at each meeting. Zuko, not knowing it was her efforts, would tease how much the secretaries must want to impress him.

Her mind drifted to handsome Central Financial Overseer with his grey eyes and board shoulder. She was ashamed to think she had a crush on the younger man known to charm women in the office with his smile and light jokes. She found herself awkwardly distant from his circle of conversations and laughing at them from afar. It was harder for her to admit that she envied Coco's casual lunches with him and small gifts of gratitude when it was appropriate. She was outright embarrassed when she started to imagine his hand on her, kissing her with a warm embrace. These fantasies were getting racier. It was distracting and wrong mainly when these fantasies occurred randomly. She still blushed at the memory of staring blankly while she over poured tea in his cup during one of his weekly meetings with Zuko. She wanted a hole to swallow her as she waterbent the scalding wet spot from his hand and shirt.

Katara snapped herself back into the office, looking over the conference room. She was volunteered by the others and living her life in obligation; she did not question it. As she noticed her co-workers enter, she went to the desk, preparing to type.

* * *

Zuko's voice filled the room with arrogance to make it known it was his idea, "I believe that we should donate at least some of the proceeds to the Be Sing Se zoologist fund and another for the banquet for stockholders, friends, and socialites." It wasn't the CEO's idea, but that was the point. Aang was happy to receive what he wanted—money towards a cause. He and Iroh had planned it for the meeting to take this long and he was delighted to get his responsibility results. The credit was a non-factor. He tried to keep his hidden smile.

Aang noticed that the room felt heavy and tired. Everyone had attempted to appear business appropriate, but the loose ties, wrinkled shirts, and blazers on the back of chairs quickly broke that façade. He felt a little more disheveled than when the meeting started. His own necktie had been taken off before the meeting started because he intended to run Zuko, and everyone else, ragged. It was a grueling plan, but it benefited everyone—Zuko would have his party, Aang would denote to the Zoo, and the company would get high PR. He had persuaded Zuko to make more environmentally conscious choices with this strategy—this was no different.

He felt terrible when Zuko's unsuspecting secretary walked in, instead of his own. Aang had figured that Coco had persuaded someone to take over her role for the meeting. Coco was fully aware of his plan. He was not surprised that it was the Water Tribe woman. Coco had a way of avoiding work, while Katara took it head-on.

"I think that is a fine solution." Iroh's charming voice soothed Zuko's and had everyone anticipating the impending end of the meeting. Aang remains silent for Zuko to receive the credit.

"Well," Zuko basked in power to end the meeting and looked over the room with some at attention. "we are done for the night." The elated grasp was heard and people started to gather their materials and move out. Iron had moved surprisingly fast mentioning a masseuse that needed his attention. Zuko and Aang lingered in the room further discussing the details. He noticed Katara inching away to the door. She looked eager to not be approached with for last-minute changes from the perfectionist (an office nickname for Zuko), she started to walk to her desk, off from Zuko's, to end her night.

* * *

As Katara walked towards her office, her breath constricted. A wolfhound was at the door. His gaze steadily crept up her body and lingered at spots like her legs and harden on her chest, which was block by the paperwork she carried. She had known these stares and avoided him, if possible. It became harder as he requested more private meetings with Zuko. Long Fang would insist on schedule the next one immediately afterward.

With her office door closed, she was his prey. She felt dwarfed as he placed pressure on her shoulders with his hands. He loomed over making her chest hover over the keyboard, and something spill onto the desk. She swore he mentioned wanting to see her bent on his office desk or see her leave the room. She hated how he laid his hand over her throughout the otherwise sterile encounter. He would further insist that his control of her hand on the mouse ensured that both parties knew the correct date and time.

Moreover, his invasive compliments of her hands, body in certain clothes, or hair were made worst with his constant touching or pointing of his body. His breath would push up against on her cheek and some of the coffee drench breath would crawl into her nose. It was always on his tongue because he would call her in for two cups on two separate occasions.

Long Fang was clearly tantalized by the weekly fifteen-minute private power play. She hated them but avoided complaining or reporting. He was the representative for the Be Sing Se and Earth Kingdom manager of the company, while Katara was the replaceable sectary. Although she was more component, her English degree with three years of business experience was no match to the Master Be Sing Se University graduate with over 20 years experience and 1 million dollars quarterly revenue sales.

As Sokka insisted, it would only make things awkward, Long Fang was not there a lot, and he had apologized that one time he hit her butt in front of Zuko. Plus, Long Fang claimed it was an accident to Zuko accepted it as so, and by extension, her. Here he was again scheduling another meeting, but so late. His silkily deep voice invaded her ears.

"Katara," his back was against the seem of the door, and he slightly directed his pelvis towards her, "I see that the meeting ran late, you will need a ride." Katara knew it was demand, not a question.

"I don't need a ride, sir, I can get home on my own." Katara gestured for him to move, but he merely pivoted toward hers making her feel his crotch against her thigh.

"Really?" His incredulous voice rasped against her ears. "You know I don't like the thought of you on the street walking home." Her mouth dried, and hand clammed up, trying to avoid brushing against him and to open the door. She remained quiet as his breath caressed her ear. She did not want to hear any more. "Although the idea of you streetwalking at all interest me." Katara felt his innuendo be branded onto her suit. She was disgusted. "But you're classier than that." He chuckled at his own pun.

"Fang, I need to get this done. Move." Katara heard her voice pass through her lips, pathetically. She felt his coffee ridden breath cascade on her cheek. Towering over her, he brushed up against her cheek and hooked the locks behind her ear. His hands lingering on her ear, moving towards her cheek, and running under her chin. He did not let his hand drop but instead forced Katara to look into his eyes.

"Aw, can I hear a no sir or please, sir?" Long Fang looked down at the girl with delight, "Where are your manners?" Chuckling at her, his thumb started to tap her bottom lip. "Didn't your daddy every tell that you can get more with sweet words?" His eyes were focused on her lips as his thumb was tapping them open as if knocking on a door. "Or will I have to be a daddy for you too?" Katara felt all the color drain from her face.

"Long Fang?" Aang's voice made Long Fang's hand move from her face and into his pocket. Katara looked over to see Aang in the entryway.

"Aang," Long Fang stepped from her and smoothly began to meet the Airbender. His calm light voice almost made it seem like nothing happened.

"What's going on?" Aang's skeptical gaze was not missed by the older man. Long Fang looked back at Katara to see that she had gotten into her office. He quickly walked up to the young, naive CFO and decided to explain.

"I was simply looking after Zuko's secretary," Long Fang stood before him, intentionally blocking his view of the woman. "She was complaining about having a fever, so I check it out for her." Aang gazed over Long Fang's shoulder to see a woman frantically organizing the papers and collecting her things. Long Fang noticing the CFO's gaze, turned around to see the Southern Tribe girl had her bag packed. Katara froze as Long Fang continued the lie, "You are rather hot tonight, and it's raining, I don't want you to get sicker, I can give you a ride."

Aang rose his eyebrow at the phrasing but ignored it as Katara got visibly paler. "Katara, are you okay?"

"Oh of course," Long Fang's voice cutting off Katara, "she is simply exhausted from the meeting." Aang looked at Long Fang hesitantly and back at the overworked secretary. A wave of guilt washed over him. The woman had unknowingly suffered for a zoo. Katara remained quiet properly arranging her work bag and purse. "Isn't that right, Katara?"

Aang chuckled. "I know we all are." Aang noticed the room remain stiff between the two. "Fang, I know Zuko wanted to go over something with you about the banquet and its location. He is still in the conference room." Dismissing the lingering old man, Katara watched him walked down the hallway. She prayed to her grandmother that she would not encounter him in the hall or outside the building. She was startled to see Aang looking at her so intensely. Feeling obligated to break the ice.

"I am fine, really." She hoped her voice was even. "It was later than expected, Coco made it seem like it was going to be over at 10 pm, 11 at the most, but it's no big deal." Katara forced a smile on her face. She started racing to the door to avoid any more questioning.

"Um Katara," Katara looked up to see the CFO looking boyish with his hands in his pocket looking sheepish. "I know we head home in the same direction," Katara nodded. He did honk his horn at her whenever he saw her coming from the metro, "could I take you home?"

"Well, I took my car today because of the meeting," Aang noticed that he dipped in expectations, "but I do hope that we could leave together and get some quick noodles." Katara was throw off by Aang's eager nod but walked with him towards his office. Katara was happy to exchange pleasantries about their days and overall weekend plans. Katara was intrigued by his snowboarding plans up in the hills. She tried to sound impressive by meeting up with a friend and relaxing.

Katara chuckled at her boring life, "I am tried on being on my face all day, so I am happy to relax and meet up with Suki." She could not help but feel at ease.

* * *

**Hello all,**

**Here is another attempt at fanfiction. I know this chapter is heavy, but I hope you enjoy it. Let me know what directions this should go.**

**Enjoy,**

**Stella Rose**


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